This Christmas holiday may be the first time that many teachers and school leaders have chance to take a breath and step back from the chaos and stress of Covid-19. Sophie Howells says that now is the time to prioritise your wellbeing – and offers some ideas

 

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected us all during 2020, but the impact on teachers, school leaders and other education staff has been particularly acute.

Our latest research, the Teacher Wellbeing Index 2020, shows that while teachers have displayed strong resilience and great adaptability, stress levels among the profession have risen. This is particularly the case for school leaders, and there was a clear spike in stress-levels after schools returned in September.

We have also seen a worrying growth in symptoms of poor mental health such as insomnia, tearfulness and difficulty concentrating.

Earlier this year we reported feelings of undervalue and under-appreciation among staff, as revealed during our special investigation Covid and the classroom (see further information).

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